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House for the view
House for the view
São Francisco Xavier, Brazil
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House for the view
São Francisco Xavier, Brazil
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2017
SIZE
0 sqft - 1000 sqft
BUDGET
$0 - 10K
A House for the View: A Countryside Retreat in São Francisco Xavier
When designing this countryside home, the starting point was clear: the view. To fully embrace the breathtaking landscape of the Serra da Mantiqueira, we proposed a layout where every room opens toward the scenery. The house was positioned at the edge of an existing plateau, cantilevered over the forest, preserving native trees that now grow through the wooden deck—a special gathering spot bathed in sunlight all day long.
The layout is simple and fluid: three suites, a guest powder room, a compact home office, pantry, integrated kitchen, living room, and a generous veranda. All rooms are connected by an external veranda and an internal corridor. Beneath the cantilevered portion of the house, we placed the laundry, storage, and technical areas.
A dual-sided fireplace was designed to warm both the living room and the veranda, reinforcing the indoor-outdoor connection. The entire project was built using local labor, with the intention of creating a home that feels like a true countryside retreat—featuring colonial roof tiles, exposed brick, reclaimed wood, and visible structural elements that are easy to maintain.
The Clients’ Story
A couple originally from Rio de Janeiro, now living in São Paulo, had long dreamed of a weekend home in Itaipava. But the distance proved impractical. A spontaneous weekend in São Francisco Xavier changed everything—they fell in love with the region and soon found a plot with a stunning view of the Mantiqueira mountains and the city of São José in the distance. They envisioned a small, cozy, single-story home for restful weekends and holidays. We responded with a fully integrated design where every space enjoys the view.
Construction and Materials
The house was built using a mixed structure of metal and wood. The foundation combines concrete footings and drilled piers, accommodating the sloped terrain by anchoring part of the house on the plateau and projecting the rest over the hillside.
Key materials include:
Structure: Steel beams (H-profile) painted black, combined with reclaimed wood.
Walls: Exposed Palimanan brick.
Roof: Reclaimed Peroba wood beams (3” x 9”) supporting large red colonial tiles. The eaves extend 1.10m to protect wooden window frames. The living room ceiling is clad in Muiracatiara (Aroeira), a durable, insect-resistant hardwood.
Deck and Veranda: Cantilevered steel structure with Itaúba wood slats (10 x 2 cm). The guardrail combines Itaúba handrails, black-painted flat iron bars, and steel cables.
Flooring: 20 cm wide reclaimed Peroba planks from Galpão.
Windows and Doors: Custom-designed by RAP Arquitetura and crafted by Sergio Giloli in reclaimed Peroba wood. Sliding glass doors open to the deck and pool, maximizing natural light and ventilation.
Interior Highlights
Kitchen: Fully integrated with the social area, designed for casual hosting. Guests gather around the island while meals are prepared. Cabinetry is MDF lacquered in Sayerlack L018, with Peroba Rosa shelving.
Living Room: Surrounded by sliding doors and windows, it opens to both sides of the terrain, blurring the line between indoors and out.
Guest Room: 14 m² with a Muiracatiara ceiling and custom Pinus furniture by Kika Petersen. Doors open to the veranda and pool deck.
Home Office: Compact and efficient, with a 1.15 x 60 x 2.30 m niche and Peroba Rosa shelves.
Bathrooms: Feature 20 x 20 cm hydraulic tiles and Mediterranean-style ceramic wall tiles (5 x 15 cm, Tebas white matte by Strufaldi). The shower has a fixed and sliding glass panel.
Sustainability and Comfort
The house includes a photovoltaic solar panel system to supply electricity for essential appliances and lighting—an important feature in a region prone to outages. Water heating is powered by a gas heater with battery ignition.
Outdoor Living
The covered veranda with a fireplace is an open-air living room, perfect for both warm and chilly days. The pool, measuring 5.50 x 3.50 m, is heated by gas and positioned to face the view. It sits on a suspended metal structure, with the base clad in stone to blend with the landscape.
This home is a celebration of simplicity, nature, and thoughtful design—crafted to offer comfort, beauty, and a deep connection to its surroundings.
Project made while in RAP Arquitetura Firm
When designing this countryside home, the starting point was clear: the view. To fully embrace the breathtaking landscape of the Serra da Mantiqueira, we proposed a layout where every room opens toward the scenery. The house was positioned at the edge of an existing plateau, cantilevered over the forest, preserving native trees that now grow through the wooden deck—a special gathering spot bathed in sunlight all day long.
The layout is simple and fluid: three suites, a guest powder room, a compact home office, pantry, integrated kitchen, living room, and a generous veranda. All rooms are connected by an external veranda and an internal corridor. Beneath the cantilevered portion of the house, we placed the laundry, storage, and technical areas.
A dual-sided fireplace was designed to warm both the living room and the veranda, reinforcing the indoor-outdoor connection. The entire project was built using local labor, with the intention of creating a home that feels like a true countryside retreat—featuring colonial roof tiles, exposed brick, reclaimed wood, and visible structural elements that are easy to maintain.
The Clients’ Story
A couple originally from Rio de Janeiro, now living in São Paulo, had long dreamed of a weekend home in Itaipava. But the distance proved impractical. A spontaneous weekend in São Francisco Xavier changed everything—they fell in love with the region and soon found a plot with a stunning view of the Mantiqueira mountains and the city of São José in the distance. They envisioned a small, cozy, single-story home for restful weekends and holidays. We responded with a fully integrated design where every space enjoys the view.
Construction and Materials
The house was built using a mixed structure of metal and wood. The foundation combines concrete footings and drilled piers, accommodating the sloped terrain by anchoring part of the house on the plateau and projecting the rest over the hillside.
Key materials include:
Structure: Steel beams (H-profile) painted black, combined with reclaimed wood.
Walls: Exposed Palimanan brick.
Roof: Reclaimed Peroba wood beams (3” x 9”) supporting large red colonial tiles. The eaves extend 1.10m to protect wooden window frames. The living room ceiling is clad in Muiracatiara (Aroeira), a durable, insect-resistant hardwood.
Deck and Veranda: Cantilevered steel structure with Itaúba wood slats (10 x 2 cm). The guardrail combines Itaúba handrails, black-painted flat iron bars, and steel cables.
Flooring: 20 cm wide reclaimed Peroba planks from Galpão.
Windows and Doors: Custom-designed by RAP Arquitetura and crafted by Sergio Giloli in reclaimed Peroba wood. Sliding glass doors open to the deck and pool, maximizing natural light and ventilation.
Interior Highlights
Kitchen: Fully integrated with the social area, designed for casual hosting. Guests gather around the island while meals are prepared. Cabinetry is MDF lacquered in Sayerlack L018, with Peroba Rosa shelving.
Living Room: Surrounded by sliding doors and windows, it opens to both sides of the terrain, blurring the line between indoors and out.
Guest Room: 14 m² with a Muiracatiara ceiling and custom Pinus furniture by Kika Petersen. Doors open to the veranda and pool deck.
Home Office: Compact and efficient, with a 1.15 x 60 x 2.30 m niche and Peroba Rosa shelves.
Bathrooms: Feature 20 x 20 cm hydraulic tiles and Mediterranean-style ceramic wall tiles (5 x 15 cm, Tebas white matte by Strufaldi). The shower has a fixed and sliding glass panel.
Sustainability and Comfort
The house includes a photovoltaic solar panel system to supply electricity for essential appliances and lighting—an important feature in a region prone to outages. Water heating is powered by a gas heater with battery ignition.
Outdoor Living
The covered veranda with a fireplace is an open-air living room, perfect for both warm and chilly days. The pool, measuring 5.50 x 3.50 m, is heated by gas and positioned to face the view. It sits on a suspended metal structure, with the base clad in stone to blend with the landscape.
This home is a celebration of simplicity, nature, and thoughtful design—crafted to offer comfort, beauty, and a deep connection to its surroundings.
Project made while in RAP Arquitetura Firm
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